White patch in eye

[SaffronWelshDragon]

My 23 year old pony has had runny eyes since the winter. We assume it was due to her living out and on top of a hill (cold wind?) However she still suffers with them and I've recently noticed a small white patch on each eye - looks like a cloud.

I'm going to call the vet as soon as I get paid, but any ideas?

 

[Bugly]

Don't wait, you need to phone the vet NOW. You just don't mess around with eyes....sounds like your pony has got an ulcer which needs treatment urgently!

 

[SaffronWelshDragon]

Phew! Here's what just happened. Rang vet, luckily she was available this morning (I'm at work but have a lovely boss). Got to stables and the vet had a good look - torch, dye etc. couldn't see any surface damage to either eye, thinks she may have a slight eye infection so now have some eye drops to administer. Regarding the white things, the vet mentioned that they sometimes get a kinda fatty deposit in the cornea. Just googled it, and people seem to get this as well (it's an age thing). Apparently she has a good book at the surgery and will double check.

Just to give a little more information for future reference, Penny has been suffering runny eyes since the winter. There is no goo (no more than the usual bit of sleet) and she has both her eyes open and it fine in herself. I will use the eye drops up and keep this thread updated for anyone who may be interested.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

S-E, take great care putting eye drops into a horse's eye. The drops are probably in a little plastic tube/bottle with a pointed end. It is the pointed end that has to go about a millimetre from the surface of the eye and that's where the fun starts. If your pony jerks when you have the pointy end so close to her eye, you can scratch or even puncture the cornea. If it is thick drops it is far safer to apply the cream to the clean tip of your finger and squish that in her eye. Blunt finger ends can't damage the eye if the pony jerks. If it is watery drops it's harder but if you can get a friend to push the pony's chin upwards so her head is parallel to the ground for just a split second, you can drip the drops in from inches away. Or you can soak a tiny piece of clean cotton in the drops and squeeze that into the eye.

Are the white patches thick looking and standing a little proud from the surface of the cornea? If so, no problem. But if the cornea itself has a cloudy patch that is obviously inside it, then the cornea is damaged and you need to act fast. Fingers xed. PM me for more info or if your ponio's eyes deteriorate x

 

[alsiola]

I agree that medicating horses' eyes can be tricky, but you can minimise the risk of damaging them.
When putting them in, hold the dropper in your fingers, while resting the wrist of that hand on the horse's face - that way, if they throw their head around then your hand moves with them, so you're less likely to jab them in the eye.
Also, you don't need to put the drops directly onto the eye. If you pinch the lower lid with your other hand, it will form a little pocket, which you can put the drops into. When the horse blinks they'll be carried across the cornea. There is a knack to pinching the bottom lid just right, but practice and it's worth it.